# Explore Shanghai vs 北京地铁

The clearest difference is rating: Explore Shanghai at 4.7 against 北京地铁's 3.5. Explore Shanghai also leads on ratings volume (1.3K vs 4) and review sentiment (80% vs 65%). 北京地铁's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Explore Shanghai sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. 北京地铁 asks for nothing beyond the download.

Explore Shanghai holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Explore Shanghai has 1.3K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Explore Shanghai's written reviews are positive against 65% of 北京地铁's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Explore Shanghai | 北京地铁 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explore-shanghai/id340706615/reviews)** | [3.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/touchchina/id389737566/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.3K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **80.5% of reviews** | 65.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 53 MB | 94 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ExploreMetro](https://appshunter.io/developer/340706618) | [Truth Soft Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/333246646) |

## What reviewers say

### Explore Shanghai

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explore-shanghai/id340706615)

Navigate Shanghai's metro system with an up-to-date, offline map and route planner. Features include GPS station finder, integrated street maps for exits, and support for English and Chinese.

**Highlights:** Up-to-date metro map, Offline functionality, Route planner, GPS nearest station finder, Integrated street maps, English and Chinese support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VIP mode | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient route planning
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🗺️ Accurate and up-to-date maps
- 🔊 Voice announcements for station names
- 💰 Helpful fare and travel time information

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Missing new metro lines and stations
- 🗺️ Lack of offline street maps
- 💰 Paid features not worth the cost
- 🔄 Restore purchases not working
- 📢 Ads in paid version

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and freezes on certain devices
- Nearest station feature not working
- Inaccurate route planning and travel times

**Requested features**

- Offline street maps with station exits
- Chinese character support for station names
- Integration with Google Maps for directions
- Customizable route planning options
- Closure times for specific metro lines


### 北京地铁

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/touchchina/id389737566)

Navigate Beijing's subway system with real-time route planning, station information, and offline maps. Discover nearby attractions, dining, and travel deals. Get timely operational updates for a smoother urban commute.

**Highlights:** Real-time subway route planning, Offline station maps and exit info, Nearby dining and hotel recommendations, Beijing travel and outbound deals, Operational information push notifications, Voice search for destinations

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Explore Shanghai free?

Explore Shanghai is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is 北京地铁 free?

北京地铁 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Explore Shanghai or 北京地铁?

Explore Shanghai is rated higher. Explore Shanghai averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while 北京地铁 averages 3.5 from 4 ratings.

### Do Explore Shanghai or 北京地铁 have ads?

Explore Shanghai shows ads; 北京地铁 does not.

### Which is updated more often, Explore Shanghai or 北京地铁?

Explore Shanghai ships an update every 2 months, and 北京地铁 every 2 months. Most recently, Explore Shanghai was updated on October 13, 2026 and 北京地铁 on October 7, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*